Don Reisinger

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1. Start Working With Dell

Microsoft should immediately ink a deal with Dell to deliver tablets to compete with WebOS devices. Although Dell is also working with Google on Android-based products, it doesn't necessarily mean that the company won't find reason to also offer some Windows machines, too.

Microsoft finds itself in a rather interesting position. The software company that once told the world that it would be partnering with HP on a computer tablet that would compete with Apple's iPad is now being forced to face off with that same hardware vendor. That's because HP acquired Palm, and with it Palm's WebOS. Although WebOS was originally designed as a smartphone operating system, HP has confirmed that it will offer a computer tablet with WebOS, pushing Microsoft's Windows operating system off the platform. HP said its WebOS tablet will compete against the iPad which has used the same operating system as the iPhone smartphone from Apple. And although the HP Slate tablet PC was supposed to run Windows, it's looking more and more like that won't happen now that HP owns a mobile operating system of its own. That isn't good news for Microsoft. Not only does it pit it against one of its hardware partners, but it adds another competitor that the company will need to face when it delivers Windows-based tablets. And Microsoft can't be at all happy about it. Regardless, Microsoft will need to find ways to compete against HP's tablet computer. Here's how:

This article was originally published on 2010-07-14

Don Reisinger is a freelance technology columnist. He started writing about technology for Ziff-Davis' Gearlog.com. Since then, he has written extremely popular columns for CNET.com, Computerworld, InformationWeek, and others. He has appeared numerous times on national television to share his expertise with viewers. You can follow his every move at http://twitter.com/donreisinger.